First Time

Karen22 · April 17, 2011, 01:09:25 PM

Hi Everyone,

We're heading to Arillas for the first time in 5 weeks. Apart from a day trip to Corfu town, haven't been to Corfu since 1984! Arillas attracted us because of the walking. We've got Lance Chilton's book and can't wait to get there.

Would any of you know whether you can get soya milk in the supermarkets? It's becoming available at lots of places these days - hope Arillas is one of them.

If anyone has any tips on 'must visit' bars & restaurants - we're both veggie by the way - we'd love to hear them. Plus any other 'must see' places or things we 'must do'.

Lookng forward to our first visit and from what I've read on here so far, it probably won't be our last.

Thanks.

GaryS · April 17, 2011, 01:30:34 PM

Hi Karen,

Not sure on the Soya milk, but I'm sure one of the other helpful people on this site will be able to tell you. As for veggie food, its really not a problem. Carolyn (Caz) was veggie the first time we visited Arillas and she found that a lot of the restaurants were very helpful when it came to Veggie meals. Many would offer the starters as a main as there are a lot of veggie starters on the menu's. Some in fact would create a meal to suit. Of course there are plenty of veggie main meals to choose in their own right.

As for pointing you in the direction of a good restaurant, that would be unfair, they are all very good. Just follow your nose and try as many as you can.

As for trips, if you want to stay local there is San Stefanos to the north and the beautiful village of Afionas to the south. Each has lovely restaurants. San Stef has a truely huge beach and Afionas has some fantastic cliff top views, including from some restaurants. We usually hire a boat for the day which is truely amazing and not as costly as you think.

Anyway here is a link to some pictures we took last year including from the boat which we hired from the beach at Arillas for 70 euros (4 people max) which used 30 euros of fuel and some pics from Afionas.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53547505@N06/

Enjoy your visit.

Gary (Gaz)

Karen22 · April 17, 2011, 02:31:22 PM

Loved the photo's Gary! Really whetted our appetites, it all looks perfect.

We've done a fair few Greek Islands and a bit of the mainland over the years, favourites are Molyvos on Lesvos and Plakias on Crete - can't think why its taken us so long to get around to Corfu.

Roll on!

Karen.

Sandy x · April 17, 2011, 02:44:53 PM

I think you may have a problem with soya milk....couldn't find it when I last looked. I'm off tomorrow so will make a point of checking in the supermarkets. The Greeks don't really seem to be that much into milk....and you rarely see a cow!!!! Often it's the longlife stuff, and it's only a few years ago that semi-skimmed became widely available.

justphil · April 17, 2011, 05:26:08 PM

We only drink fully skimmed, 0.1% fat milk. (By the gallon, and it goes in our voddie frappe.) Have never seen it out there, and make do with semi-skimmed. Like Sandy says, never seen soya milk. And cows? Well we've never met one in Arillas but know a few round here....

Sandy luvver, it's time for your slice of heaven. So wish you a safe journey and quality time with dad. With Eileen and Sara there already you can't fail in reality. Send us pics - they will keep us all going till we're back home later in the year.

loadsalove, PhilnJen

Sara · April 17, 2011, 06:04:31 PM

Welcome Karen.

You are so going to love Arillas

There is a supermarket in nearby Agios Georgios that sells soya milk. Next time I pass, I'll make a note of it's name. Hopefully though, one of the supermarkets in Arillas will sell it.

You'll find lots of choice of veggie meals in all of the tavernas. You must visit the Dionyssos or the Porto Timoni restaurant at Afionas. Both offer good food & the views are stunning. If you like walking you must take the footpath next to Dionyssos & walk down to the secluded Porto Timoni beaches & visit the little chapel there too. I think it's mentioned in Lance Chilton's book.

Great photos Gaz & Caz. I'm going to go back now & have another look.

Sara.x

Karen22 · April 17, 2011, 07:15:10 PM

Thanks for all your replies - nice to know we can get soya milk somewhere, other half can't drink dairy milk, powdered soya milk is pretty rubbish so its good to know he can have a decent cup of tea

I'm sure we'll love Arillas, really looking forward to it, we're staying at the Tria Adelphi and its been nice to read some good reviews.

It sounds like Arillas is similar to Plakias in Crete - thats another place you want to keep going back to. I'm sure there'll be plenty of good veggie options, in all our years of travelling to Greece, there's only one place where the food was particularly disappointing. We often eat meze style, with several starters and a big Greek salad - add a jug of wine and what more could you want?

Perhaps we'll see some of you there!

Karen.

Corfusoon · April 17, 2011, 07:31:01 PM

Hi Karen

Two off my children can only drink Soya and we get it from a super market on the way out of Corfu town called A & B. We normally grab a few cartons on the way from the airport.

I am sure you will love the food and if not there is always the Arillas beer!

Have a wonderful holiday.

Regards Mandy

TONYNEW · April 17, 2011, 08:33:52 PM

Hi Karen22 i agree with all that's been said above you will love the food the people the place ,we cant wait to get back in August
Here's a couple of virtual street views of Arillas annd San Stefanos of which i am sure you will be walking to

http://arillas.corfu360.net/

http://agiosstefanos.corfu360.net/

Tony

justphil · April 17, 2011, 08:59:49 PM

Karen, try mezes style at Graziella, in a seat by the sea overlooking Gravia. The red wine is great, plenty of vegetarian choices and sheer peace. Jen and me are notorious for spending hours doing that.

Arillas is addictive - be warned - many who loved Plakias now just spend their time in Arillas. ENJOY!

Phil

Karen22 · April 17, 2011, 09:22:12 PM

Thanks Tony for those street views - wonderful!

Graziella will be on our list Phil, thanks!

Just one thing folks - how do we get through the next five weeks?

keith(geezer) · April 17, 2011, 11:17:28 PM

look at this site for the next 5 week`s we will see you there me and ann get there on the 21 of may yammas

NicandJohn · April 19, 2011, 10:12:07 AM

The tria adephia menu was a little more "meaty" than most last summer, and more meaty than I remember it from any of my visits in previous years. We took a vegan friend and she just had a a couple of starters as suggested above. Phil and his family at tria adelphia will be happy to help though so just let them know you are veggy on your first day. You won't meet a more friendly family anywhere than at tria adelphia, and phil is a pretty good tour guide too.
We did all the walks in the Lance Chilton book a couple of summers back, the guide was really useful and we only got lost once, we saw places, animals and people we had never seen before in 14 previous visits.

Janis · April 19, 2011, 03:03:27 PM

Hi Karen - Barry and I will be in Arillas at the same time as you. We're staying at Kaloudis Village and tend to walk round and round the village, often stopping at the Tria for a coffee.
You'll not regret coming to Arillas - visit it once and you'll keep coming back!
As for food, I think as a veggie you'll have lots of choices - try the courgette keftedes at Brouklis - they're to die for!

See you very soon!

Janis x

Alan and Jan · April 19, 2011, 06:15:24 PM

Quote from: Karen22 on April 17, 2011, 07:15:10 PM
Thanks for all your replies - nice to know we can get soya milk somewhere, other half can't drink dairy milk, powdered soya milk is pretty rubbish so its good to know he can have a decent cup of tea

I'm sure we'll love Arillas, really looking forward to it, we're staying at the Tria Adelphi and its been nice to read some good reviews.

It sounds like Arillas is similar to Plakias in Crete - thats another place you want to keep going back to. I'm sure there'll be plenty of good veggie options, in all our years of travelling to Greece, there's only one place where the food was particularly disappointing. We often eat meze style, with several starters and a big Greek salad - add a jug of wine and what more could you want?

Perhaps we'll see some of you there!

Karen.

Hi Karen
We went to Plakias last September. All I can say, to my mind, it is not a patch on Arillas. We found Plakias way too busy and the food only fair in spite of trying several different places.
I honestly believe you will love Arillas with its wide open spaces and lots of excellent walks.
We may bump into you as we are there from 21st May.
Yammas